Little Davon is Marion's first baby of 2013

Candace McCullough gave birth to the first newborn of the new year at Munroe Regional Medical Center Tuesday morning, January 1, 2013. At 1:35 a.m., McCullough gave birth to Davon Johnson, who weighed in at 6 pounds 9 ounces and was 19 1/2 inches long.

Published: Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 7:40 p.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 1, 2013 at 7:40 p.m.

New Year's Day births tend to run in the McCullough family of Reddick.

According to matriarch Diana McCullough, there are two sets of twins and an uncle in her family all born on the first day of the year. And now there's Davon Johnson, born Tuesday when 2013 was but 95 minutes old — the first and, as of mid-afternoon, the only baby born New Year's Day at Munroe Regional Medical Center, which boasts the only maternity center in Marion County.

Davon, born 6 pounds, 9 ounces and 19.5 inches long at 1:35 a.m., makes the eighth grandchild for McCullough. "No more," she declared Tuesday afternoon. "I love them all, can't live without them, but no more."

Davon's mother, Candace McCullough, 27, was at church Monday evening when "I just started having contractions," she said. "So I dropped the two kids with me off and drove myself here. I was told by (an attendant) in the emergency room I had to move my car.

Little Davon, who slept through an interview and photographs Tuesday, has four older siblings; two of them, Dallas, 2, and Danay Washington, at 9 the oldest of the siblings, were with their mother and grandmother Tuesday at Munroe.

Danay said she helps her mother raise her younger sister and brothers. "I put their clothes away, help them turn on the TV, fix their cereal," she said.

"She's a big help," Candace agreed.

In the past two weeks, there have been more than 50 babies born at Munroe, said hospital spokesman Ryan Gerds. But as of Tuesday afternoon, there were no other pending births.

<p>New Year's Day births tend to run in the McCullough family of Reddick.</p><p>According to matriarch Diana McCullough, there are two sets of twins and an uncle in her family all born on the first day of the year. And now there's Davon Johnson, born Tuesday when 2013 was but 95 minutes old — the first and, as of mid-afternoon, the only baby born New Year's Day at Munroe Regional Medical Center, which boasts the only maternity center in Marion County.</p><p>Davon, born 6 pounds, 9 ounces and 19.5 inches long at 1:35 a.m., makes the eighth grandchild for McCullough. "No more," she declared Tuesday afternoon. "I love them all, can't live without them, but no more."</p><p>Davon's mother, Candace McCullough, 27, was at church Monday evening when "I just started having contractions," she said. "So I dropped the two kids with me off and drove myself here. I was told by (an attendant) in the emergency room I had to move my car.</p><p>"When I got back from moving my car, he said, 'I've got your chair ready,' " she added.</p><p>Little Davon, who slept through an interview and photographs Tuesday, has four older siblings; two of them, Dallas, 2, and Danay Washington, at 9 the oldest of the siblings, were with their mother and grandmother Tuesday at Munroe.</p><p>Danay said she helps her mother raise her younger sister and brothers. "I put their clothes away, help them turn on the TV, fix their cereal," she said.</p><p>"She's a big help," Candace agreed.</p><p>In the past two weeks, there have been more than 50 babies born at Munroe, said hospital spokesman Ryan Gerds. But as of Tuesday afternoon, there were no other pending births.</p><p>"The first baby of the year," Candace said softly to her newborn son.</p><p>High-profile people through history born on Jan. 1 include actor Dana Andrews, British statesman Edmund Burke, former Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater, longtime FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, actor Frank Langella, early Americans Paul Revere and Betsy Ross and Onyx rapper Fredo Starr.</p><p>It's still too soon to tell if Davon can find a way to join this list of New Year's Day babies as well. His mother said she hopes he'll end up a musician; "I'm infatuated with band," she said.</p><p>But Candace has more immediate hopes for her youngest son: "I'm hoping he'll just stay out of the principal's office."</p><p><i>Contact Rick Allen at rick.allen@starbanner.com.</i></p>